


hot magenta is a godsend

by grapefruity



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: F/M, babysitting fic, inspired by 4x04, what beautiful ep i'm still having trouble breathing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-12
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-22 01:51:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8268214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grapefruity/pseuds/grapefruity
Summary: So yeah okay, neither of them are exactly the best equipped at handling children, from Amy’s inability to connect with them on a kids-level, and Jake’s compulsion to lapse into cop stories that are just a teensy bit too non-PG for the sensitive ears of children (or their parents) but for Charles, they make an exception. Well actually, the exception comes about when Jake rolls over to Amy and says, panicked under his breath, “I accidentally agreed to babysitting Nikolaj and I need help because I keep pronouncing his name wrong.”[ fic title from Ode to Crayola by Lemon Demon ]





	

**Author's Note:**

> this is totally unbeta'd because I just wrote this real quick based on a need for a babysitting scenario involving these three, have at it

So yeah okay, neither of them are exactly the best equipped at handling children, from Amy’s inability to connect with them on a kids-level, and Jake’s compulsion to lapse into cop stories that are just a teensy bit too non-PG for the sensitive ears of children (or their parents) but for Charles, they make an exception.

Well actually, the exception comes about when Jake rolls over to Amy and says, panicked under his breath, “I accidentally agreed to babysitting Nikolaj and I need help because I keep pronouncing his name wrong.”

And that is essentially how Amy winds up in Charles’ living room with a box of pancake mix in one hand and a bag of assorted syrups and sprinkles in the other. Charles is rattling off a mile per minute on the necessary allergy syrups and pills that line the cupboards whilst, somehow managing to take a million and one pictures on his phone of Nikolaj rifling through the stack of DVDs that Jake has, crouched on one knee while he points at each title and explains the synopsis.

Nikolaj settles on _Bill Nye: The Science Guy_ and Amy can barely can barely contain the gleeful exclamation she makes. Jake looks a little horrified, but at the same time, there’s the additional fact that the DVD did come from _his_ collection.

The dogs are, thankfully under Charles’ watch for the night - since, he and Genevieve decided that bringing all _six_ of their dogs out would make for a great date night - and Amy’s already listing back every brand of allergy medication under the sun that could possibly come in handy when Charles finally relinquishes his antsy need to reestablish the schedule several times over. “You guys are the best,” He gushes, coming in to hug them both of them at one time.

“You know it bud,” Jake supplies with a small wheeze. 

“We’re happy to help Boyle,” She tacks on, a little less wheezy.

After he finally manages to pull himself away from the two of them and part with one last loving look between his son, and his ‘favorite couple after Henry and Lucy’ Jake makes a snatch for the pancake mix and shakes it enthusiastically in front of Nikolaj. “Ever heard of breakfast for dinner?”

***

Nikolaj gets powder along his glasses and laughs when Amy manages to flip a pancake backwards onto her face, but Jake makes up for it by leaning over to peel it off and peck her cheek before accusing her of trying to steal all their food. It’s a ridiculous concept because it’s one pancake out of the ten they’ve already managed to make but from the way Nikolaj is grinning up at Jake like he’s some sort of amazing, she lets it slide.

She watches as he hoists the boy up to sit on the counter and decorate his pancakes with far too much chocolate syrup to be healthy, but the outturn is an emblazoned ‘J’ symbol within what looks suspiciously like the superman logo and Jake looks like he might actually cry. Amy whips out the star sprinkles and neatly lines the rims of it and Nikolaj announces that _now_ , they can eat.

Of course, they end up watching the Forensics episode and between mouthfuls of sugar Nikolaj enthusiastically rocks forward at certain parts of it while Jake occasionally supplies a warm smile his way, and sometimes, towards her. 

By the time the episode on Genes is on and Amy occasionally provides an additional fun fact which Jake responds to with a snort and a “Dork,” under his breath, Nikolaj’s cheek rests warm and heavy against her jeans, and the small smear of candy syrup along the denim hardly matters to her. 

Jake gingerly moves for the remote and glances over at her, a grin spreading across his face whilst his hand slowly raises for a high five, and, with an eye roll, she obliges. Hey, she’s pretty proud of herself for not setting the kitchen on fire _and_ not getting multiple panic attacks over the child, now sleeping on her lap.

“I think that went well, I’ve pretty much mastered the art of saying his name I bet I say it better than he does. Watch this: _Niiiikolaj_ ,” He draws it out, cocking a single brow and having just a fraction of an eye twitch, the same one he gets when putting on an accent and she snickers quietly under her breath.

“Nope. It’s Nikolaj,” She responds coolly. 

“Alright whatever, you’re messing with me, I’m pretty sure I’m an expert at this and you Santiago, are but a mere novice,” 

“Really?” She continues to whisper-speak. “Because I’m not the one who’s about to wake up _Nikolaj,_ Mister Expert,”

Frantically he casts a glance down at him, before he flickers his gaze back up to hers. “Okay, I know you’re being snarky but that nickname is kind of working for me,” He gently scoops up the boy, cradling him in a way that Amy has never seen before - like he’s afraid he’ll break him, holding him so gingerly, so carefully, so _tenderly_. Her breath catches momentarily and when he looks back at her, he gives her a questioning look which she’s quick to cut through.

“Don’t count on hearing it again Peralta, let’s go,”

***

When she sneaks a glance up at Jake the next day, Charles has a piece of paper shared between their hands, animatedly pointing to different parts of it while Jake’s eyes hold a distinctly glossy look. It’s.. curious, and part of her can’t help but angle her head just that bit more to try and catch what’s on the other side.

"This is... supposed to be me?” Jake asks, a little choked up, and a little awe-struck all at the same time.

“You bet! He was so proud of it too, and I mean, _I_ wasso proud of it because, gosh would you look at the finesse that went into it? I’m raising a little _artist_ Jake! Ooh, oh, you should show Amy too! It’s like your first official couple portrait,”

He manages a laugh and holds it up a little higher, beaming at it, before meeting her gaze. In any other case he might make a quippy remark on how she was caught staring at him but in this case, he looks a little too overwhelmed by emotion to care for the moment. 

“Check it,” He says, flipping the paper around and oh. Oh wow.

In the center of the page is a rather well drawn rendition of Jake, his goofy grin and curly hair captured in a way that just reeks of him with an unmistakable superhero suit on, and beside him, Amy’s matching his pose with a more subdued smile. Above both of their heads is a scrawled out ‘J+A’ surrounded by a bunch of magenta hearts and even _her_ eyes feel a little glassy.

“That’s--” She begins, sounding just a tad breathless. And all because of a child’s drawing too. (The Sarge gives a scrutinizing frown from across the precinct. No one notices.)

“Amazing,” Jake says, finally choking up into a sob, not even bothering to mask it.

Incidentally, it’s both the first decoration Amy allows on her desk, and the first shared one she permits between both their tables. (They make sure it’s not the last, either.)


End file.
